Gujari

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A language of India

ISO 639-3
gju
Alternate Names
Gogri, Gojari, Gojri, Gujar, Gujer, Gujjari, Gujuri, Gurjar, Hindki, Kashmir Gujuri, Parimu, Rajasthani Gujuri
Population

690,000 in India (2000). Population total all countries: 992,000. Ethnic population: 1,600,000 (2002) in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Punjab, Delhi.

Location

Jammu, line of control border tahsils; Kashmir, Kukernag, Kangan, Tral, Doru, Pahalgam, Shopian, Kulgam, Handwara, Karnah, Kupwara, and Uri tahsils; Himachal Pradesh; Uttarakhand. Also in Afghanistan, Pakistan.

Language Maps
Language Status

4 (Educational).

Classification
Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Central zone, Rajasthani, Unclassified
Dialects

Ajiri of Hazara. Poonchi [phr] may be understood by others and form the basis for a standard dialect. In Pakistan, Eastern Gujari appears more similar to Northern Hindko [hno] or Pahari-Potwari [phr]. Western Gujari appear to understand the Eastern dialect better than vice versa. Comparison with India varieties is needed. Lexical similarity: 60% between Uttar Pradesh and Pakistan, 76% with Poonchi.

Language Use

In general, Hindu agriculturalists have not retained Gujari language and culture, whereas Muslim Gujari have. Gujars outside Jammu-Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh do not speak Gujari, but regional languages. All domains. Positive attitudes. Also use Hindi [hin], Urdu [urd], Kumaoni [kfy], Garwhali [gbm], Kullu [kfx], Jaunsari [jns], Kashmiri [kas], or Dogri [dgo].

Language Development
Literacy rate in L2: 5%–15%. Poetry. Magazines. Radio programs. TV.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Gujari
Writing
Arabic script, Nastaliq style. Devanagari script, plans for future development using this script.
Other Comments

A Scheduled Tribe. Muslim, Hindu.

Also spoken in:

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